New York Giants Off-Season Update

With the NFL Draft now in the rear-view mirror, teams are starting their off-season programs.  With OTA’s already done, soon enough mini-camps will begin and before you know it the pre-season and regular season will be upon us.  For the Giants, the defending on their Super Bowl title is being kicked into top gear.

The Giants have been making some roster and personnel moves recently.  The biggest moves are the contracts situations of defensive end Osi Umenyiora and head coach Tom Coughlin.

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Osi Umenyiora’s displeasure over his contract has been publicized plenty over the last few off-seasons.  He has wanted a re-structuring of his contract for multiple off-seasons.  Last season, it resulted in Umenyiora missing practice time, holding out over the contract dispute.  This season, there will be no such problems.  

Umenyiora and the Giants agreed to a restructured contract June 1^st.  Umenyiora was entering the last year of a seven year contract in which he would receive $3.975 million.  Umenyiora has outplayed the contract he signed and had every reason to want more money. 

 This resolution is a win for everyone because both sides are happy and get what they want.  Umenyiora gets the extra money he has been looking for and the Giants get to keep one of the best defensive linemen on their team for at least another season.

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   As for Tom Coughlin, he also received a contract extension.  The extension will keep Coughlin on the Giants sideline through the 2014 season.  The contract will kick in this year, meaning that total is for three years and $20 million as Coughlin’s original contract was set to expire after this season.  The new contract makes Coughlin one of the highest paid coaches in the league; deservedly so.  Coughlin should be able to come back for as long as he wants to coach, leading the Giants to two Super Bowl victories since the 2007 season. 

The Giants have also made a few roster moves, re-signing defensive tackle Rocky Bernard and cutting tight end Jake Ballard.  Ballard tore his ACL in addition to needing microfracture surgery, suffering the injury in the Super Bowl against the Patriots.  Ballard had failed his physical and was subsequently released.  The thought is that the Giants will bring Ballard back once he clears waivers.  Ballard went onto Twitter to show his appreciation for the Giants and his feelings on the future, “Thanks for the love everyone but don’t worry, it’s a business, I’m on the road to recovery, and I believe I’ll be in a Giants uniform in ’13.”

Not all news this off-season for the Giants has been positive though, as offensive lineman David Diehl was arrested on suspicion of DWI after his car hit multiple parked cars in Queens.  There were no passengers, and Diehl was not injured during the process.  If he is indeed charged, Diehl could be facing a suspension from the NFL.